Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Premiere Landscape, Inc.
Woods fern frond
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Friday, June 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Petrea volubilis
Scientific name: Petrea volubilis, Petrea kohautiana
Family: Verbenaceae
Common name: Queen's Wreath, Sandpaper Vine, Purple Wreath, Blue Bird Vine, Fleur de Dieu
Origin: Mexico through Central America
Such a sharp contrast between the soft, delicate flowers and the harsh, crisp leaves of the Purple Wreath is most unexpected! Even the new leaves are stiff and papery. This is a twining vine with rough green leaves and spectacular clusters of purple flowers that come in raceme reaching over 1 foot long. The blue calices, with 15-30 flowers per raceme, remain for many days, slowly turning gray, looking terrific on dark green leaves background.
The name Petrea was given to commemorate the name of Lord Petre, who, in the 18th Century, became famous for his wonderful collection of exotic plants. Volubilis means "twining." One of the common names "Fleur de Dieu" means "Flower of God", another - "Sandpaper Vine" - refers to the rough leaves.
The Purple Wreath was introduced from tropical America to other tropical areas many years ago and has always been popular as a garden shrub. Widely grown throughout Caribbean, and variously in the tropics and subtropics, it is cultivated as landscape specimen in Dominican homes, especially on the Atlantic Coast.
Petrea is used usually a climber, but sometimes also over a support where it is encouraged to twine around its own branches. Without support this twining vine grows into a rounded shrub. It also makes a terrific container patio plant, and is well suited for hanging baskets.
Petrea Volubilis is one of the most distinct and beautiful of the cultivated climbers. It looks somewhat similar to a tropical Wisteria. It is a fast-growing woody vine with a grey bark, a strong climber, and will attain great height and cover a considerable area if left unpruned. The star-like flowers are extremely effective when massed. Over a porch or along a fence it makes a glorious show in the spring when the innumerable, long, mauve flower sprays appear. There is also a lesser flowering season towards the end of the summer through fall. In favorable conditions (it likes warm and humid conditions), expect plants to continue producing flowers from winter through summer.
The tapering clusters bear many pale, blue-mauve stars, becoming deeper in color towards the end. They grow nearly in pairs, on a short stem and usually turn so that each flower faces the light. But what we take to be the flowers are actually the calices which remain after the flowers have fallen. The true flower is a small, five-petalled affair of deep purple velvet which may be seen resting in two or three of the end calices. One purple petal has a white splash in the middle. These flower sprays spring from the axils of the leaves and are usually pendent and gracefully arched. The eye-catching parts of each flower are the 5 narrow petal-like calyx lobes that persist long after the darker purple corollas drop.
The oval leaves are quite large - up to 5-9 inches and deeply veined. Stiff and rough, they are a dull-green above and brighter underneath. New leaves are a fresher green but also stiff - never soft and limp like the young leaves of most plants.
Petrea is hardy to the high 20's but not much colder. It grows best in full sun to part shade. It prefers moist soils, but once established, it may take heavy drought. The plant has no severe insect or disease problems. Mulch and use fertilizer for acid plants if your soil is alkaline.
According to indigenous legends, flowers of Petrea were used by Caribs in folk medicine.
This is a charming flower to cut for the house but it will be found that, if the woody stem is cut, the blooms will rapidly droop and die. If, however, the flower-sprays only are cut and arranged in a shallow bowl, they will remain fresh for several days.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Heteropterys (Heteropteris) angustifolia
HETEROPTERYS H. B. K., Nov. Gen. Sp. 5 [quarto ed.]: 163. 1822 ["1821"], nom. cons.— Lectotype: H. purpurea (L.) H. B. K., typ. cons.
Banisteria L., Sp. Pl. 427. 1753.—Lectotype, designated by T. A. Sprague, Gard. Chron. ser. 3, 75: 104. 1924: B. brachiata L. [H. brachiata (L.) DC.].
Clonodia Griseb. in Mart., Fl. Bras. 12(1): 26. 1858.—Type: C. verrucosa Griseb. in Mart. [H. racemosa Adr. Juss.].
Atopocarpus Cuatrec., Webbia 13: 454. 1958.—Type: A. papillosus Cuatrec. [H. racemosa Adr. Juss.].
Skoliopterys Cuatrec., Webbia 13: 451. 1958.—Type: S. lehmanniana (Nied.) Cuatrec. [H. complicata (H. B. K.) W. R. Anderson & C. Davis].
Woody vines, shrubs, or small trees; stipules very small, distinct, triangular, persistent, borne on edge of petiole at its base or on stem beside petiole, or absent; leaves opposite or very rarely alternate or whorled, usually bearing glands on petiole or lamina or both. Inflorescence with the flowers borne in umbels, corymbs, or pseudoracemes, these single or grouped in racemes or panicles, axillary or terminal or both; floriferous peduncle usually well developed, absent in some species; bracteoles borne at or below apex of peduncle. Sepals leaving outermost petal exposed in enlarging bud or (in one subgenus) concealing petals until anthesis, eglandular or the lateral 4 biglandular, or perhaps occasionally all 5 biglandular with the glands on anterior sepal connate with adjacent glands; corolla bilaterally symmetrical, the posterior petal ± strongly differentiated from the lateral 4 petals; petals light yellow or pink or pink and white in most species, white, bronze, or dark red in a few species, glabrous in all but a few species; lateral petals with the margin entire, denticulate, or erose; androecium bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 10, all fertile; filaments mostly connate proximally and heteromorphic, generally longer opposite sepals and posterior-lateral petals, the latter 2 often thicker than others; anthers ± alike, the posterior 3 sometimes smaller than others, glabrous in all but a few species, the connective not or hardly exceeding the locules; pollen globally symmetrical, with 4 colpi not perpendicular to the equatorial plane and several pores variously distributed; receptacle glabrous on both sides of stamens; gynoecium bilaterally symmetrical; ovary with the 3 carpels proximally connate and distally distinct, all fertile; styles 3, the anterior style differing at least somewhat from the posterior styles in length and shape; apex of styles with a large, usually internal stigma and dorsally rounded, truncate, acute, or hooked, the stigma very rarely terminal. Fruit dry, breaking apart into 3 samaras or mericarps separating from a short pyramidal torus; samara with its largest wing dorsal, thickened on the abaxial (lower) edge and (in most species) bent upward, the veins terminating in the thinner adaxial edge; much shorter winglets or crests present on the sides of the nut in some species; dorsal wing rudimentary or lost in a few species; carpophore absent. Chromosome number: n = 10.
More than 140 species in diverse habitats, from savannas and dry woodlands to rain forests, in the New World tropics and subtropics from northern Mexico and the West Indies to northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil [map]. One widespread, mostly Caribbean species, H. leona, is also found in low wet places along the coast of West Africa from Senegal to Angola [map].
This is the largest genus in the family, approached in size only by Byrsonima, which is slightly smaller. Like most genera of vines in Malpighiaceae, Heteropterys has each cincinnus reduced to one flower and dry, schizocarpic fruits. The genus is defined by its samaras, which are unique in the family. In most genera whose samaras have a dominant dorsal wing the wing is thickened along the upper (adaxial) margin and the parallel veins bend downward, ending in the thinner abaxial margin. In Heteropterys that situation is reversed—the adaxial margin of the samara is thinner than the abaxial margin, and the wing bends more or less upward, with the veins following that curvature. In spite of the dorsal-winged samara, the overall morphology suggests that this genus is actually more closely related to genera with lateral wings, such as Tetrapterys, than to the large group with the usual type of dorsal-winged samara (Stigmaphyllon, Banisteriopsis, et al.). The molecular information currently available (Davis & Anderson, unpublished data) indicates that Heteropterys is monophyletic.
Samaras superficially similar to those in Heteropterys are found in the genus Ectopopterys. Otherwise, no other member of the family can be confused in fruit with Heteropterys. In flower it is not so distinctive, and there is great diversity among the species in petal color, so correctly placing a member of Heteropterys in this genus without fruits is difficult. As has happened in most large genera with winged fruits, several clades within Heteropterys have independently lost the large dorsal wing; this is especially likely to happen in species that grow near water and have the option of dispersal by water instead of wind. One of those clades is represented by Clonodia, which has mericarps without a dorsal wing and verrucose outgrowths on the nut. Anderson (1981b) suggested that pink-flowered species of Heteropterys were possibly the closest relatives of Clonodia, and molecular evidence (Davis & Anderson, unpublished data) supports that placement, for which reason we have placed Clonodia in synonymy under Heteropterys (Anderson & Davis, 2007; [pdf]).
Heteropterys leona is an especially interesting species, represented by populations along the Atlantic coasts from Belize to Brazil and from Senegal to Angola (C. Anderson, 2001; [pdf]). There is only one other species with that distribution, Stigmaphyllon bannisterioides (C. Anderson, 1997a). The fact that the African populations have differentiated little from their American relatives suggests that those two species managed to migrate from the New World to the Old relatively recently, much later than the ancestors of the other genera of Malpighiaceae found in the Old World.
Linnaeus (1753; pdf) used the name Banisteria for several species with winged fruits. In subsequent decades, as taxonomists defined the genera of Malpighiaceae more narrowly, Banisteria came to be used by several influential specialists, most notably Adrien de Jussieu (1843) and Franz Niedenzu (1928), for the large genus now known as Banisteriopsis. Unfortunately, none of Linnaeus's species is assignable to Banisteriopsis, so it is not feasible to use the name Banisteria in Jussieu's sense. Sprague's designation of Banisteria brachiata [= Heteropterys brachiata] as the lectotype of Banisteria in 1924 fixed the application of that name to the large genus that had become known as Heteropterys. There followed a period of confusion, during which some botanists used the name Banisteria for the traditional Heteropterys, while others continued to use Heteropterys. That situation has now been resolved by the conservation of the name Heteropterys against Banisteria. The spelling Heteropterys has also been conserved against the original spelling, which was Heteropteris.
Reference: There is no modern revision of the genus. Niedenzu's treatment (1928) serves as a starting point, and various tropical floras treat relatively small portions of the genus.
Etymology: The name Heteropterys comes from the Greek words for different (heteros) and wing (pteron), and refers to the fact that the wing of the samara in this genus is radically different from that found in other genera with dorsal-winged samaras.
Uses: A few species are cultivated for their large showy inflorescences and the red immature samaras. The immature fruits of H. glabra are sold in markets in Paraguay under the name "Flor de Tilo"; an infusion made by boiling the fruits in water is said to have curative power.
Photos: view all: H. andersonii, H. atabapensis, H. aureosericea, H.ayachuchensis, H. brachiata, H. cotinifolia, H. glabra, H. hammelii, H. laurifolia, H. leona, H. nervosa, H. orinocensis, H. palmeri, H. purpurea, H. steyermarkii, H. syringifolia
Drawings: view all; (those most representative of the genus in boldface): H. actinoctenia, H. alata, H. aequatorialis, H. aliciae, H. alternifolia, H. atabapensis, H. brachiata, H. complicata, H. caducibracteata, H. conformis, H. cuatrecasasii, H. dichromocalyx, H. fruticosa, H. hatschbachii, H. krapovickasii, H. laurifolia, H. maguirei, H. marleneae, H. mathewsana, H. megaptera, H. murcapiresii, H. neblinensis, H.oblongifolia, H. obovata, H. oligantha, H. oxenderi, H. perplexa, H. prancei, H. purpurea, H. sanctorum, H. sincorensis, H. steyermarkii, H. subhelicina
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Monday, January 19, 2009
Plants in our gardens
Sinningia sellovii
Eranthemum pulchellum
Eranthemum pulchellum
Caesalpinia ferrea
Caesalpinia ferrea
Bauhinia corymbosa
Bauhinia corymbosa
Bauhinia bowkeri
Aristilochia literalis
Abutilon theophrasti X hybride
Aristilochia literalis
Abutilon megapotamicum
Friday, June 5, 2009
Clerodendrum ugandense
PlantFiles: Butterfly Bush, Oxford Bush, Cambridge Bush
Rotheca myricoides 'Ugandense'
Family: Verbenaceae (ver-be-NAY-see-ee) (Info)
Genus: Rotheca (roth-EE-kuh) (Info)
Species: myricoides (mir-ih-KOY-deez) (Info)
Cultivar: Ugandense
Synonym:Clerodendrum myricoides
Synonym:Clerodendrum ugandense
Clerodendrum ugandense Prain., ca. 400 species, tropical and warm areas, Verbenaceae, butterfly bush, or Ugandan clerodendrum: Sprawling shrub, to 3.5 m (10 tall). Leaves opposite, glabrous, coarsely toothed, elliptic to obovate, to 10 cm (4½") long. Inflorescence a terminal panicle. Flowers are ca. 2.5 cm (1") across, calyx red; petals are united at the base into a short tube, four wide light blue petal limbs and one wide violet-blue petal limb. The six showy stamens have long arching purple filaments and blue anthers. Native to tropical Africa. (Hillsborough County; B95-809; Cindy S. Kamelhair). (Bailey Staff 1976, Broschat & Merrow 1991 Everett 1981, Huxley 1992).
Dyckia 'Silver Star
Dyckia 'Silver Star'
Puya mirabilis
Genus: Puya (POO-yuh)
Species: mirabilis (mih-RAB-ih-liss)
Puya mirabilis
Puya mirabilis is a terrestrial bromeliad
This one in my garden is getting ready to bloom. It is now over 5 foot tall and it has a few more weeks to go as of June 5, 2009.
It went through the freeze and some snow this year. It did just fine without protection.
PASSION FLOWER
Vine on back side of garden gate and on structure
Passiflora growing on a garden gate.
This is June 2009
It is an evergreen. Tolerates hot and very cold and frost.
CLEMATIS
I have had this vine for over 20 years. Always a show stopper when it is in bloom.
This is a variety I planted just last year.
It grows intertwined with a Passion flower on a garden gate.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Ruellia elegans
Ruellia elegans
PlantFiles: Ruellia, Wild Petunia
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Genus: Ruellia (roo-EL-ee-uh)
Species: elegans (ELL-eh-ganz)
Cultivar: Ragin' Cajun
Category:
Height:
Spacing:
Hardiness:
Sun Exposure:
Danger:
Bloom Color:
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Foliage:
Other details:
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Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
What is blooming now in JUNE!
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
Limelight Hardy Hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
Patent: PP#12874 CP#2319
Uniquely colored blooms in a trendy cool lime green. The large flowers are held upright on very strong stems, allowing the plants to stand upright rather than bending towards the ground. This shrub is hard to miss in the landscape and are stunning used as a specimen or in borders. Wonderful dried or cut and brought indoors to enjoy in the home.
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USDA Hardiness Zone 4-8
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I have this one planted at the base of a Pine tree. The top of the pine tree was topped after hurricane Katrina and it gets full sun.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Dicliptera suberecta
Dicliptera suberecta
Genus: Dicliptera (dye-CLIP-ter-uh)
Species: suberecta (sub-er-EK-tuh)
Synonym:Justicia suberecta
Synonym:Jacobinia suberecta
Category:
Perennials
Height:
18-24 in. (45-60 cm)
Spacing:
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Danger:
Bloom Color:
Red
Orange
Bloom Time:
Late Summer/Early Fall
Foliage:
Silver/Gray
Velvet/Fuzzy-Textured
Other details:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Soil pH requirements:
Patent Information:
Propagation Methods:
By dividing the rootball
Duranta erecta 'Alba'
Mine will freeze down and the bark splits each year. It returns from the base and starts over each Spring.
Genus: Duranta (door-AN-tuh)
Species: erecta (ee-RECK-tuh)
Cultivar: Alba
Synonym:Duranta repens var. alba
Category:
Shrubs
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Height:
6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)
8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m)
Spacing:
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Plant has spines or sharp edges; use extreme caution when handling
Bloom Color:
White/Near White
Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Mid Fall
Blooms repeatedly
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Deciduous
Smooth-Textured
Other details:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
Patent Information:
Propagation Methods:
From leaf cuttings
From woody stem cuttings
From softwood cuttings
From semi-hardwood cuttings
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Remove fleshy coating on seeds before storing
Hydrangea macrophylla
PlantFiles: Bigleaf Hydrangea, French Hydrangea, Mophead
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Big Daddy'
Family: Hydrangeaceae (hy-drain-jee-AY-see-ee)
Genus: Hydrangea (hy-DRAIN-juh)
Species: macrophylla (mak-roh-FIL-uh)
Cultivar: Big Daddy
Height:
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
Spacing:
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color:
Pink
Medium Blue
Bloom Time:
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Mid Fall
Foliage:
Deciduous
Other details:
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
This plant is resistant to deer
Flowers are good for cutting
Flowers are good for drying and preserving
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Propagation Methods:
From herbaceous stem cuttings
From softwood cuttings
By simple layering
N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Clerodendrum paniculatum
Clerodendrum paniculatum
Family: Verbenaceae (ver-be-NAY-see-ee)
Genus: Clerodendrum (kler-oh-DEN-drum)
Species: paniculatum (pan-ick-yoo-LAY-tum)
Cultivar: Borneo Sunset
Synonym:Clerodendrum paniculata
Synonym:Clerodendrum pyramidale
Synonym:Volkameria angulata
Category:
Shrubs
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Height:
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
Spacing:
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Danger:
Bloom Color:
Red
Bloom Time:
Blooms repeatedly
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Bronze-Green
Shiny/Glossy-Textured
Other details:
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water
Suitable for growing in containers
Soil pH requirements:
Patent Information:
From softwood cuttings
From semi-hardwood cuttings
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Aristolochia elegans
Aristolochia elegans
PlantFiles: Elegant Dutchman's Pipe, Calico Flower, Pelican Flower
Aristolochia elegans
Family: Aristolochiaceae
Genus: Aristolochia (a-ris-toh-LOH-kee-uh) (Info)
Species: elegans (ELL-eh-ganz) (Info)
Synonym: Aristolochia littoralis
Category: Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Vines and Climbers
Height:
6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)
8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m)
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
12-15 ft. (3.6-4.7 m)
15-20 ft. (4.7-6 m)
Spacing:36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
Sun Exposure: Light Shade
Danger: All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color: Green-Maroon (Purple-Brown)
Bloom Time:
Late Winter/Early Spring
Mid Spring
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Foliage: Evergreen
Other details: May be a noxious weed or invasive
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Flowers are fragrant: Smell like Lemons
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not over water
Soil pH requirements: 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Propagation Methods: From herbaceous stem cuttings
Seed Collecting: Collect seed head/pod when flowers fade; allow to dry
Cesalpinia pulcherrima
Cesalpinia pulcherrima
PlantFiles: Pride of Barbados, Red Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, Peacock Flower, flamboyan-de-jardin.
Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Family: Caesalpiniaceae Genus: Caesalpinia (ses-al-PIN-ee-uh)
Species: pulcherrima (pul-KAIR-ih-muh) (Info) Synonym:Poinciana pulcherrima .
Category: Shrubs Tropicals and Tender Perennials Height: 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m) 6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)
Spacing: 4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Hardiness: USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade
Danger: Seed is poisonous if ingested. Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested.
Bloom Color: Red Bright Yellow
Bloom Time: Late Summer/Early Fall Mid Fall Blooms all year
Foliage: Deciduous
Other details: This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Propagation Methods: From seed; direct sow after last frost
Seed Collecting: Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Datura fastuosa 'Double Purple'
Datura fastuosa 'Double Purple'
Description
Datura fastuosa 'Double Purple' is a tropical bush that can get 36 to 60" in height and should be spaced 24-36" apart. The flowers are a double purple with a white center and are trumpet shaped with edges that roll back and form tendrils. The flowers are very fragrant and are strongest in evening. Devil's Trumpet blooms repeatedly in the summer time. All parts of this plant are poisonous.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 9-11
Plant Use: Tender Perennial
Exposure: Sun to Part Sun
Water Requirements: Medium
Description
Datura are woody-stalked, leafy annuals and short-lived perennials which can reach up to 2 meters in height. The leaves are alternate, 10–20 cm long and 5–18 cm broad, with a lobed or toothed margin. The flowers are erect or spreading (not pendulous like those of the closely allied Brugmansiae), trumpet-shaped, 5–20 cm long and 4–12 cm broad at the mouth; colors vary from white to yellow, pink, and pale purple. The fruit is a spiny capsule 4–10 cm long and 2–6 cm broad, splitting open when ripe to release the numerous seeds. The seeds disperse freely over pastures, fields and even wasteland locations.
Datura belongs to the classic "witches' weeds," along with deadly nightshade, henbane, and mandrake. Most parts of the plants contain toxic hallucinogens, and Datura has a long history of use for causing delirious states and death. It was well known as an essential ingredient of love potions and witches' brews.
Common names include Thorn Apple (from the spiny fruit), Pricklyburr (similarly), Jimson Weed, Moonflower, Hell's Bells, Devil's Weed, Devil's Cucumber, and Devil's Trumpet, (from their large trumpet-shaped flowers). The word datura comes from the Hindi Dhatūrā (thorn apple); record of this name dates back to 1662 (OED). In Tamil it is called "oomathai" .
Datura species are food plants for the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species including Hypercompe indecisa.
Species and cultivars
It is difficult to classify a datura as to its species, and it often happens that descriptions of new species are accepted prematurely. Later it is found that these "new species" are simply varieties that have evolved due to conditions at a specific location. They usually disappear in a few years. Contributing to the confusion are the facts that various species such as D. wrightii and D. inoxia are very similar in appearance, and that the variation within a species can be extreme.
For example, Datura have the interesting property of being able to change size of plant, size of leaf, and size of flowers, all depending on location. The same species, when growing in a half-shady damp location can develop into a magnificent flowering bush half as tall as a man, but when growing in a very dry location will only grow into a thin little plant just higher than his ankles, with tiny flowers and a few miniature leaves.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Echeveria runyonii var Topsy Turvy
Echeveria runyonii var. 'Topsy Turvy'
Family: Crassulaceae (krass-yoo-LAY-see-ee)
Genus: Echeveria (ech-eh-VER-ee-a)
Species: runyonii (run-YON-ee-eye)
Cultivar: Topsy Turvy
Category:
Cactus and Succulents
Height:
6-12 in. (15-30 cm)
Spacing:
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)
12-15 in. (30-38 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Danger:
Bloom Color:
Coral/Apricot
Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Evergreen
Silver/Gray
Succulent
Rubbery-Textured
Other details:
This plant is suitable for growing indoors
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Suitable for growing in containers
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information:
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)
From leaf cuttings
From herbaceous stem cuttings
From seed; winter sow in vented containers, coldframe or unheated greenhouse
From seed; sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Aloe macrocarpa
PlantFiles: Aloe
Aloe macrocarpa |
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Family: Aloaceae
Genus: Aloe (AL-oh)
Species: macrocarpa (ma-kro-KAR-pa)
Synonym:Aloe commutata
Synonym:Aloe barteri
Category:
Cactus and Succulents
Height:
6-12 in. (15-30 cm)
Spacing:
6-9 in. (15-22 cm)
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)
12-15 in. (30-38 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Danger:
Bloom Color:
Rose/Mauve
Bloom Time:
Late Winter/Early Spring
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Evergreen
Mottled
Succulent
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
This is a setting of succulents in a small rock garden on my patio.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Hibiscus moscheutos
Family: Malvaceae (mal-VAY-see-ee)
Genus: Hibiscus (hi-BIS-kus)
Species: moscheutos (mos-KEW-tos)
Bloom Time:
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Foliage:
Deciduous
Bronze-Green
Shiny/Glossy-Textured
Other details:
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Hibiscus coccineus
Hibiscus coccineus
PlantFiles: Swamp Hibiscus, Scarlet Rose Mallow, Texas Star, Scarlet Hibiscus
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Genus: Hibiscus (hi-BIS-kus)
Species: coccineus (kok-SIN-ee-us)
Synonym: Hibiscus semilobatus
Height:
6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m)
8-10 ft. (2.4-3 m)
10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m)
Spacing:
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Sun Exposure:
Sun to Partial Shade
Bloom Color:
Scarlet (Dark Red)
Bloom Time:
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Foliage:
Herbaceous
Smooth-Textured
Other details:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Very high moisture needs; suitable for bogs and water gardens
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow after last frost
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Allow seedheads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
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